Vapor filter



W. J. RUFF.

VAPOR FILTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21,1916

Patented Aug. 15, 1921 I 2 SHEETSSAHEET 1.

W. JJRUFF.

VAPOR Fl-LTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, l lfi. 1,387,870. Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I the numeral 1 illustrated in Fig.

."srars WILLIAM J. ItUFF, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

VAPOR-FILTER.

Application filed J'une 21,v

70 all to from it may) concern." v Be it .known that I, WILLIAM J. RUFF, a

'citizen of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Adamsland State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Vapor-Filter, of which the following is a specification. x

This invention relates to a process for mechanically separating alcohol from various beverages, especially from beer, and to the apparatus for carrying out the proc- The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and *described in the following specification, and

in the steps of the process described in the specification and carried out in connection with the mechanism shown inthe drawings, and it is more particularlypointed out in the appended'claims.

In the drawings, Figure his a somewhat diagrammatical elevational view with parts in section, of one form of mechanism constituting part of the present invention, and .Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing more in detail a. portion of the mechanism Referring to thefigur'es of the drawings,

designates generally a receptacle or tank preferably made of steel and having its interior portion entirely coated .with glass enamel or other material which is not in any way affected by the'beverages which are operated upon and which therefore will 'not injure the beverages as would The receptacle must be made of strong material to resist pressuresto which it is subjected, and

for this reason the main body ofthe walls of thereceptacle are preferably made of steel. As shown most clearly in Fig.,-2, a second-receptacle- 2 is mounted upon the receptacle 1 and is connected therewith'by a communicating passage 3. -The .receptacle 2 is constructed of materials similar to thoseof receptacle-1. Vithin the receptacle 1 is an attemperating coil 4 which may be made of copper and which may, if found desirable, be exter'iorly plated with tin or silverto prevent any contamination of the liquid in the receptacle by contact with'the copper pipe. Ordinarily, 'however,, this plating will not benecessary as copper itself is not affected .by mostbeverages operated upon by the process to bedescribed. The attemperating coil 4 is provided with communi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Align-16 1921. 1916. Serial no. oasvo.

eating pipes 5 and 6 which may be connected selectively with sources of heating and coollngimedia. a thermometer 7 to indicate the temperature of the liquid within the tank and with a pressure gage 8 arranged to indicate pressuresbelow and above atmosphere. A glass gage 9- is provided to indicate the height of liquid within the tank.

lVithin the receptacle 2 is-a seriesof plates 10 which are curved upwardly at their outer The receptacle is provided with edges and are substantially the same diameter as the interior of the receptacle The plates 10 are supported centrally by .a col-.

umn of supporting cylinders 11 which rest one upon another as indicated in the drawmg; The column is carried supported at'the bottom portion of the tank 2. Alternating with the plates 10 is a second series of plates 13 which are supported centrally in a way similar to the plates -10 but which are curved downwardly at their pe-' ripheries and which are of smaller diameter than the interior of the tank. The edges of the plates 13 are-positioned slightly below the edges of the plates .10 so thatliquid flowing from the periphery ofthe plates '13 will be intercepted by the plates 10 and carried inwardly toward the center of the receptacle. A series of openings 14 is provided near the centers of the plates. 10 to permit liquid to flow froni the plates 10 onto the tops of the plates 13. through the center of the cylinders 11 forming a support for the cylinders .and also providing a conduit extending upwardly through their center. A spider 16 is secured to the upper end of the pipe 15 at a-position above the uppermost plate 13, and'a curved,

deflector 17 is carriedby the spider 16 for the purpose of directing fluid discharged from the upper end of'the pipe 15 downwardly onto the upper plate 13. The pipe 15 extends downwardly through" the central portion of thetank 1 and extends outwardly through the wall of the chamber 1 as indicated at, 18. A pipe 19 communicates with the tank 1 through the bottom thereof as shown in the figures of the drawings, and

An upright pipe 15 extends,

by a spider l2 through the pipe 15 and discharged'at the l tents; instead of providing two glasses' a,

' junction -sirable. An adjustable -bl0wofi' valve 27 is connected with the upper portion of the tank 2 and arranged to be set to permit escape of' compressed gases within the tank at various municate respectively with sources of upper end thereof against the deflector 17. Within the tank 2 beneath the lowermost plate 13 is a distributing head or ring 21 provided with-a series of perforations and connected with pipes 22'and 23 which comair and carbon dioxid under pressure. pipes 22 and 2 3 are provided with valves24 and 25 to control admission of gases therefrom. All of the parts within the tank 2 are covered in a way similar to those in tank 1 to prevent metal turbidity in the beverage. Near the upper portion of the tank2 a pair of sight glasses 26 is provided, arranged opposite one another so that the operator may look throu hth tank from one glass to the other to o serve the condition of the confixed electric light may be placed within the tank 2and used in conjunction with a single glass, or such a light may be used in conwith a pair of glasses, if found depressures under the control. of the. operator. I A pipe. 28 is connected with the upper portion of-the tank 2 and a bypass 29 1s provided in this pipe having a valve 30 by which communication may beestablished between the pipe 28 and the, outergatmosphere. The pipe 28, as shown in;Fig.k1 f," leads to a sep arating chamber 31. ,Thischamber 1s provided with 'a drain pipe 32' which leads from the lower portion of the chamber and ceni nects with the tank 2 near the bottom portlon oflthis tank. A second outlet pipe 33 communi'cates with the interior of the chamber of well known construction indicated at 40- 31near the upper portionof, the chamber and themouthof this pipe issurrounded by a smaller chamber 34 which communicates withthe larger chamber 31 through-a block .of porous material 35 such as porous earthenware, through which gas willreadily pass but which resists the passage of liquid.

Locatedin the upper portion of the chamber 31 is a sprinklerhead' 36 arranged to spray the interiorf'of the chamber with liquid. This sprinkler head is connected by a pipe 37 with the discharge end of thel'pump 20 and is controlled by a valve 38 located in the" pipe 37 The: chamber 31 is provided with a pair of sight glasses 39 similar to those in the chamberv 2. 4

-The pipe 33-leads to a double pipe cooler in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The pipe .33 is connected with the exterior portion of the double pipe cooler while the interior coil 41 of the cooler communicates with a source of cooling liquid such as salt brine. An outlet pipe 42 from the'outer portion of the Icooler- 40 lead to a collection tank having an upper cham or 43 and a lower chamber.

above the. division wall 45. The

44. The pipe 42 leads to a pointslightly above the separating wall 45 between the two chambers, and liquid in'the chamber 43 istrapped into thechamber 44 by a siphon 46 which has its intake end located just equalizing pipe 47 has one end located near the lower portion of the chamber 43 and theother end communicating with the upper portion of the chamber 44, as indicated in the drawing. A vacuum pump 48 is connected by a pipe 49 with the upper portion of the chamber 43 and is provided with a discharge pipe 50 communicating with the lower portion of a trap 51 partially filled with distilled water and provided with an outlet pipe 52 at its upper end.

In carrying out the process, the beer or other liquid to be dealcoholized, is placed in A pressure ished beer is employed, the flavor and food value of the beer is entirely retained and the only effect of the process is to remove the alcohol. The result which is obtained occupies a position relative to beer as now manufactured, similar to that occupied by grape juice relative to wine. When the tank 1 has been filled, a heating medium is admitted to the attemperating coil 4 and the pump 20 is startedto cause. circulation of the liquid in the tank. The liquid is pumped from the bottom of the tank 1 through the pump 20 and upwardly throughthe pipe 15, where it is discharged against the downwardly curved deflector 17. This deflector directs the beer-onto the upper surface of the plate 13 over which it flows downwardly and outward'ly in all directions and falls from the periphery of-the plate-13 in a thin film-like sheet onto the plate 14 below. The liquid then flows to the center of the plate 10, emerges through the openings 14, and again flows over the next lower plate 13 and falls in a miniature cataract from this plate in the same way as it did from the plate 13 above. .This process is repeated as many times as there are plates in the tank 2, the liquid finally emerging at the lower portion of the tank and returning through the passage.3 into the tank 1. In this way the "liquid is given completecirculation through the tanksand is uniformly heated by the coil 4. When the 'liquid has been thus heated, warm dehydrated air mder pressure tributing ring 21, and the. bypass 29 is opened by the valve 30 to permit escape'of .this air from the upper portion of the cham-..

her 2., As the air passes upwardly through the chamber 2,

it obviously must pass.

' through the film of beer falling from the peexhaust pump 48 is started.

' flector, and flows in a ripheries of the plates 13. 'As it thus pa'ss'es upwardly through the chamber 2, the air carries away with it the carbon-dioxid with which the finished beer is charged during its manufacture. The air and the carbonthe atmosphere. As the beer is circulated by the pump 20, every portion of the beer will in a short time besubjectedto' the action of the uprising air in the chamber 2 and thus the entire -amount of beer in the tank 1 will be freed from its charge of carbon-dioxid gas. This separation of carbon dioxid from the beer by the passage of air through the liquid, is the more readily accomplished because of the factthat the temperature of the beer has been raised bythe attemperating coil 1. The principal reason for thus freeing the beer of carbon-dioxid is to prevent foaming during further steps of-the process. After this step of the process is completed, the valve is closed, as well as the valve 25, in the pipe 23,- aindthe The circulation pump 20 is kept in operation and the beercontinues to circulatethrough the tanks in the manner previously described. Theshape of the deflector '17 and of the plates in the tank 2, is such that they "cry much reduce'the tendency of the beer to foam in the tank. As the beer strikes the deflector 17, it is directed downwardly in a comparatively thin sheet at the periphery of the defilm over the surface of the different plates. This filmy flow of the beer tends to break up the foam forming bubbles and hence decreases the tendency to foam within the tank. The eonvexuppe'r insures a uniformv flow of the liquidin all directions from the center of the tank,-so that it willfall from the periphery of the plates at all sides thereof. Any tendency to foam within the tank 2 may be readily detected by means of the sight glasses 26 and the conditions which cause the foaming can then be remedied.

As the heated liquid is circulated and flows 1n a film-like stream over the surface of the plates 13, and falls in a similar stream from the periphery of the plates, the pressure in the receptacle 2 is reduced by the suction from the exhaust pump 48 and the alcohol in the beer or other liquid is thus caused to evaporate and pass upwardly from the receptacle 2, through the pipe 28' into the separating chamber 31. The liquid in the tanks is maintained at a temperaturebetween the boiling points of alcohol and water at the 'f I particular. pressure produced in the pump 48. A considerable range of pressures and temperatures may be employed, the essential features being that the temperature shall be kept comparatively low to prevent producing any change in the composition of-the constituents of the liquid, but that the temperature shall be such at the pressure maintained, that the amount of alcohol will be evaporated in a given time withoutcarrying over therewith .any considerable amount of water. It is dioxid pass out through the bypass 29 into found advantageous to maintain the pressure as low as can bepractically. done with commercial apparatus, in order that the evaporation process can be carried on at a comparatively low temperature. 'This insures against change in the composition of the beer and also helps to avoid the formation of foam. The most practical pressure has been found to be about 28 to 30 inches vacuum with a temperature-approximately 90 Fahrenheit. Of course-these values may be considerably varied-, the maximum operable temperature being about 115. It is essential that the temperature shall be kept below the coagulation point of. the albu In'inous constituents of the beer.

The vapor drawn from the tank 2, notwithstanding the fact. that the temperature in the tank water, will carry over. vith it a certain amount of water vapor along with the alcohol vapor. It 'is'desirable to return the same water to the beer that passes off with this Vapor in order that the consistency of the beer may not be changed by theremoval of water, and in order that the flavor may not be altered by the addition of water not origi-. nally forming a part of the liquid. In order that the water vapor may be separated from the alcoholic vapor and returned to the tank, the separating chamber 31 is provided, which is maintained at approximately the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere. The

reduced temperature in the separating cham-- ber' 31 will cause the water to be condensed and collected in the' bottom of the chamber from. whence it will be conducted through the pipe 32 back into the tank 1. The alcoholic vapor, which is more volatile than the water vapor, passes on .through the pipe 23 toward the exhaust pump 48. To reach the pipe 33, however, the alcoholicvapor mustpass through the filter 35 which, as explained, is of porous clay and will thereforearrest particles of moisture which attempt to pass into the pipe 33. If at any time it is observed that foamhas formed in the separatingchamber 31, this may be readily removed by opening the valve 38 and causing a spray of liquid from the pump 20 to be forcedthrough the pipe 37 into the chamber, thus washing out any foam in the'chamber and carrying it down through the pipe 32 the tanks by greatest water in which the residuary-alcoholic vapor into the'tankl. The alcoholic vapor passes from thechamber 31 into the double pipe cooler 40 where it is subjected to -a low temperature and immediately condensed into liquid form. -T-he liquid alcohol passes downwardly through the pipe42 into, the

upper tank 43 of the collection chamber. In

order that thealcohol maynot be continuously subjected to the evaporating influence of the exhaust pump 38, it is immediately through the. pipe 49-to the exhaust pump 48,

and in order that no alcohol may .bewasted, the exhaust of the pump is passed through a second chamber 41 which contains distilled will be retained in solution, thus preventing I any'loss, of the by-productalcohol. By contime, all of the beer in-th'e receptacle 1 will be submitted to the evaporating action of a the increased temperature and reduced presa sure, and thus practically all of the alcohol in the beer can be removed. It has been found that beer subjected to the process re- ,tains not morethan one half of 1% of the in the beer. 1

alcohol originall I liol has thus been removed,-

-After thealco all'of the openings leading to the tanks 1. and 2 are closedexcept thosetromthe pump 20, and the inlets to the attemperating coil 1 4. The heating medium is then shut off from thecoil 4 and acooling medium is circulated through the coil in its place. he Pump 2.0 4.0

continues. tor-circulate the liquid in the two tanks' and the .coolingme'dium. is passed throughthe coil 4 until the temperature of v the liquid in the tanks is reduced as near to freezing point as is practical without actually freezing any of' the liquid. A temperature of about 34 is found to be desirable.

When'the temperature of the beer has been thus reduced, the valve 25 is opened to permit carbon dioxid gas under pressure to enter. the chamber 2. The pressure Fof the car- 'bon-dioxid used is preferably about 80 pounds per square inch and the blowofl' valve 27 is set' to regulate this pressure to the desired .amount. During. the recarbonation process the circulation of the beer is maintained in order ,tomake certain that all-of,

the beer in the? tank: shall be subjected to the I process. Afteria-period, the pressure in the tanks is gradually reduced to the pressure to whichbeer. isi iusually subjected when placed in bottles or. kegs preparatory' .to shipment.

Before the beer is bottled," however, a sufficient amount of distilled water is added to 'rais'ethe level of theliquid in the tank 1 to that which it occupied at the beginning or it may the trade.

liolaimz' 1. A dealcoholizing device comprising a receptacle having a drain opening inits bottom and inlet and discharge openings directed toward each other in the sides thereof;

a filter over the discharge opening; a source of alcoholic and other vapors'connected with the ln-let opening; and means for moving said 'vaporsfrom the inlet opening directly against said filiter, the latter being adapted to permit the passage of alcoholic vapor and arresting the passage of other vapors therethrough.

2. dealcoholizing device comprising a receptacle having a drain opening in its bott tom and inlet and discharge openings directtinuingthe process described for a sufliciented toward each other in the sides thereof; a filter over the discharge opening; a source of alcoholic and other ,vapors connectedv with the inlet opening; means for moving said be placed in kegs and shipped to vapors from the inlet opening directly 1.-

against said filter, .the latter being adapted to permit the passage of alcoholic vapor and arresting the passage of other vapors there- -through; and means for'removing foam from the front of said filter.

3. A dealcoholizing device comprising a container for beverages; means in saidcontainer for separating alcoholic and other vapors from beverages in said container; a receptacle having a discharge opening in one side thereof; afilter over said dischargeopening; apipe connecting the'ltop of said container with the side of said receptacle and opening directlytoward said filter; and an exhaust pump connected withsaid discharge opening and .adaptedto draw vapors directly from said pipe against said filter. ,4. A dealcoholizing device comprising a container-for beverages; means in said container for separating'alcoholic and other vapors from-beveragesinsaid container; a re- :ceptacle having a discharge opening in one side. thereof; :a filter-"over'said discharge opening; a pipe connecting the top of said container with the side of said receptacle and opening directly toward said filter; an

exhaust pump connected with said discharge opening and adapted to draw vapors directly from said pipeagainst said filter; a sprinkler head in and having its size and shape substantially fitting the top portion of said receptacle and disposed above saidfilter; and

, a pump having its discharge opening connected with saidsprinkler and its suction opening connected with the lower part of said receptacle.

5. Dealcoholizing apparatus comprising a' receptacle with a drain opening in its lower side and inlet and discharge openings considerably above the drain opening; a source of alcohol and other vapors connected with said inlet opening; a filter closing said out- .let opening and adapted to'permit the passage of'alcohol and arrest the passage of said foam from the inner walls of the receptacle and the side ofthe filter away from said exhaust opening.

In testimony whereof I have name to this specification, in the two subscribing Witnesses, on this-14th day of June, A. D. 1916.

signed my LLIAM J. RUFF.

WVitnesses:

EDGAR J. RUFF, CHAs. H. ACEELPOHL.

resence of 15 

